Anatomy Professor

In the field of Anatomy, one can work as an educator in schools, colleges and universities. The usual qualification is a degree in anatomy, biology or its equivalent followed by a Master’s or Doctorate degree accompanied by mastery of the subject both in theory and application. As educator, anatomists in this field also work as researchers and work in laboratories and focus on the human form and function. As an educator, anatomists train students in professions that require a mastery of this subject, such as medicine, nurses, dentists, therapists, etc. It is the duty of the professor to hone the skills of the pupils in palpation and localization of important anatomical landmarks, identification of structures and functions in the body, and the relation of each body part from the whole or to another system. This involves training the students to master the theory behind human anatomy as well as the hands-on or practical application of these theories. The field of anatomy is very broad, requiring educators in anatomy to have some knowledge in the other essential branches of anatomy such as embryology, human development, neurology, pathology, genetics and the like.

To qualify as an educator of anatomy, an advanced degree is usually required. In the tertiary level, science courses like biology, chemistry, pre-medicine and other are ideal majors. After college, a master’s degree in anatomy would further boost your career and land you occupations on teaching and researching in the field of anatomy. For a teaching position in universities, a doctoral degree is usually required. Even after studies, anatomists continue to study the new discoveries and developments in their field. Anatomists that hold a doctoral degree are more qualified to advance to positions like assistant, associate and full professor or a director for research in a particular university or educational institutions. Some anatomists with doctoral degrees also assume administrative work, most especially in schools and research facilities, where they head projects and research work aiming for new discoveries in anatomy. Educators also publish their works in scientific and medical journals when it is deemed as an importance discovery.

The working environment of educators in anatomy is usually the general surrounding of any professor in a college or university, involving class schedules, lab sessions and practical examinations. Some of them also work in laboratories for long hours depending on the specific task they aim to accomplish. Anatomists often spend their time creating and checking examinations, researching, attending meetings, publishing their material and continuously studying to keep themselves updated with the current developments in their field. Educators in anatomy must be able to work alone or with a group of other professors or researchers. To be able to teach students, they must be able to explain complicated subject matter and concepts in simple, understandable terms. They should be able to explain their findings and researches to their students and colleagues.

In the United States of America, the job outlook for anatomists with doctoral degrees is good through the year 2014 with a high average salary.